watkins



(No Model.) a Sheets-Sheet 2.

H. WATKINS. MANURE SPREADER.

No. 362.048 Patented Apr. 26, 1887;

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

v H-. WATKINS.

MANURE SPREADER.

Patented Apr. 26, 1887;

m v 1 k 00in odm] n PETERS Photo-Uthngraphor. Wnllington, IJv c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY \VATKINS, OF SYRACUSE, NEWV YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO D. H. GOVVING, OF SAME PLACE.

MANURE-SPREADER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 362,048, dated April 26, 1887.

Application filed July 14, 1886.

To all whom, it 12mg concern.-

Be it known that I, HARRY WArxINs, of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Manure-Spreaders, of which the'following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description;

This invention relates to that class of manure spreaders in which a cart or wagon is provided with a traveling floor at the bottom of its body, which floor gradually conveys the manure from the forward end of the body toward the rear end thereof, at which latter end the manure iscast and distributed from the vehicle by means of a rotary beater armed with radial spikes; and the invention consists in .an improved construction and combination of some of the most essential parts of the ma chine, whereby the same is rendered more effective in its operation, all as hereinafter more fully described, and specifically set forth in the claims.

In the annexed drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved manure-spreading machine. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, with a portion of the traveling floor broken away to illustrate the subjacent rollers which support the central portion of said floor. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of that portion of the axle or driving shaft to which are attached the devices for transmitting motion from the tractionwheels to the traveling floor and heater. Fig.

4. is a transverse section on line :6 m, Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a transverse section on line 3 Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section of the traveling floor. Fig. 7 shows detached plan views of the endless chains which constitute a part of the traveling floor. Fig. Sis an enlarged transverse section of the ratchet wheel and pawl-carrying arms, by which motion is transmitted to the shaft which carries one of the sets of wheels on which the traveling floor is mounted. Fig. 9 is an enlarged detached view of the worm or screw which imparts the requisite lateral movement to the shifting-lever of the clutch. -Fig. 10 is an enlarged detached side view of the standard on which the heater and its driving-gear and sprocket-wheel are pivoted; and Fig. 11 is an enlarged transverse section on line z 2, Fig. 1.

Serial No. 207,967. (No model.)

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents the axle, which constitutes the main driving-shaft of the machine. On said axle is mounted,in any suitableand well-known manner, the body or box O.

V denotes the carrying or traction wheels, which are mounted loosely on the axle A. To the inner side of the hub of each traction-wheel is connected a pawl, T, and adjacent to said hub is a ratchet-wheel, P, which is rigidl y secured on the axle, the pawl being arranged to engage the ratchet-wheel 1? when the tractionwheels are in their forward movement. The two pawl and ratchet connections allow each wheel to impart motion to the axle independent of the other wheel, and in turning the machine around the two wheels are allowed to turn in opposite directions or at different speeds.

The inner face of one of the ratchet-wheels P is formed with a clutch-face, n, and adjacent to said clutch-face n is a corresponding face, a, which is rigidly secured to the side of a sprocket wheel, O. and the latter is loosely mounted on the axle A. Over andbetween the two clutch-faces n and n slides a clutch, 0, which has sufficient lateral play to allow it to be shifted toward the sprocket-wheel O to clear the clutch-face n, as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawings, and by sliding the clutch 0 toward the ratchet-wheel P the said clutch becomes engaged with the clutch-face a without losing its hold on the clutch-face n, and thus motion is transmitted to the sprocket-wheel G from the traction-wheel W when the latter is in its forward movement. To the inner side of the sprocket-wheel O is rigidly attached an eccentric, e, for the purpose hereinafter explained.

It will be observed that by the aforesaid construction and combination of parts I am enabled to transmit motion to both the sprocketwheelC and eccentric e by one and the same clutch.

It is obvious that a crank may be used in lieu of the eccentric; hence I do not limit myself in this respect.

Across the bottom of the front end of the body 0 is extended a shaft, U, journaled in suitable bearings on said body. To one end of this shaft is rigidly attached a ratchet-wheel,

B. At the side of this ratchet-wheelare two arms, a a, pivoted independently of each other on the shaft U, and extending in opposite directions therefrom. On the free endsof these arms are pivoted pawls b b, engaging the ratchet-wheel at diametrically-opposite points.

At a suitable distance between the ratchet wheel It and axleA is a rock-arm, D, pivoted on the side of the body 0, and to the lower end of this rockarm are connected two rods,

0 c, which are extended to and connected with the free ends of the arms a a. The upper end of the rock-arm is slotted longitudinally, and

I 5 through the slot thereof is extended" a'coupling pin or bolt, to which is connected the forward end of the eccentric-rod d, the rear end of which is connected with the eccentric e,

hereinbefore referred to. By means of this eccentric and eccentric-rod the rock-arm D receives an oscillatory motion, and thus motion is transmitted to the arms a a by means of the rods 0 c.- Said rods being connected to the rock-arm at one and the same end,

causes the two arms a a to move simultaneously in the same direction, and as the pawl b of one arm a engages the ratchet-wheel R and turns the same the pawl of the other arm a slides freely upon the ratchet-wheel,- and the alternate engagements of said pawls with the ratchet-wheels during the oscillations of the rock-arm D produces a nearly-continuous rotation of said ratchet-wheel and its shaft U.

By shifting the connection of the eccentricrod cl on the slotted rockarm D, so as to bring it a greater or less distance from the fulcrum thereof, the rotation of the ratchet-wheel and its shaft can be regulated to the desired speed. On the shaft U, in the center of the front end of the body 0, is a chain-wheel, V, which is rigidly attached to said shaft, so as to rotate therewith, and a similar chainwheel, V,

is arranged in the center of the rear end of the machine. On the said chain-wheels runs an endless chain, r, which is propelled wit-h the upper half toward the rear end of the body 0 by the forward wheel, V, when rotated as aforesaid. Across the top of the links, about one-half of the length of the chain 1', are

firmly secured wooden slats t t, which form the manure-carrying floor. These slats are of rectangular form in cross-section, and in order to render the floor smooth and at the same time tight, so as to prevent the manure from entering between the slats, I secure'to one of the edges of each slat a plate, 3, which projects therefrom and laps onto the adjacentslat t, which is provided along one edge of its top with a recess,in which the overlapping por- 6o tion of the'plate is'countersunk, as illustrated in Fig. 6 .of the drawings. Said plates also protect the slats from injury from the spikes of the heaters. The ends of the slats are connected together by similar chains, r r, and ride upon longitudinal ledges u on the side sills of the body 0, by which ledges the ends of the slats are supported, as best seen in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

There are a sufficient number of slats secured to the chains to form a floor reaching from end to end of the body 0 above the wheels V V, and to the rearmost slat is se cured a breast, E, which serves to prevent the manure from falling from the forward end of the floor.

B represents the so=called beater, pivoted on standards F, secured to the rear end of the body 0. Said beater is armed with radial spikes w, by means of which it casts and distributes the manure from the rear end of the body 0. The heater receives a rotary motion by means of a pinion, h, secured to one end thereof, and meshing in a gear, 7:, which is pivoted on the standard F, and has secured to its side a small sprocket-wheel, l, which is 8 connected with the large sprocket-wheel O by a drive-chain, m.

In order to permit of compensating for the wear of the drive-chain and taking up the slack of said chain, I provide the standard F with a segmental slot, y, described from the center of the journal-bearing f of the heater, and in the slot I adj ustably secure a stud-pin,

z, on which the gear-wheel ]iI and sprocketwheel Z are journaled, as best seen in Fig. 11 of the drawings. It will be observed that the slot 9 is thus divergent from .the axle A, and

by shifting the stud-pin i in the slot 9, so as to carry it from the axle A, the drive-chain m becomes tightened. [00

The actuating mechanisms of thetraveling floor and beater arethrown in and out of gear by me'ansof a shifting-lever, M, pivoted on the frame of the body 0, and engaging at its rear end the clutch 0. At the forward end of the lever M is an arm, K, pivoted to a studpin secured to the body 0, as shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings. The pivoted end of this arm is formed with a hub, K, provided with a spiral rib, G, similar to a worm or screw, and 1 IO to this is connected the end of the lever M, which is provided with a correspondingly grooved eye, embracing the hub K. By swinging the arm K on its pivot the worm G thereof imparts a lateral motion to the lever M, and the motion of the latter throws the clutch 0 in and out of connection with the clutch-face a.

To the forward end of the body 0 is pivoted a hand-lever, II, which is connected with the free end of the arm K by means of a rod, I, which passes freely through the said arm and is provided at its extremity with a nut or coupling-pin, and between the lever K and handlever H therod I has secured to it acollar, Z, and between this collar and the free end of the lever K is a spiral spring, 2, encompassing the rod I, and pressing with its opposite ends, respectively, against the latter and the aforesaid collar. By this means I obtain I 0 a springcoupling between the hand-lever and clutch-shifting lever, which spring-coupling allows me to set the hand-lever in such a position before starting the machine as to impart to the clutch the necessary pressure to cause it to automatically shift the clutch 0 and lock the sprocket-wheel O and eccentric e on the ratchet-wheel T when the machine is set in motion.

To retain the hand-lever in its aforesaid set position, I employ a suitable latch, L, pivoted on the body 0, and engaging the aforesaid lever, as represented in Fig. 1 of the drawings;

and in order to cause the hand'lever H to automatically throw the clutch 0 out of engagement with the clutch-face a, and thus stop the motion of the manure-carrying floor when the forward end of the latter has reached the beater B, I connect to the under side of the forward portion of body 0 a longitudinally-movable bar, N, which slides with one end in a guide attached to the body 0, and is provided on said end with a suitable collar or head, be tween which and the guideis arranged a spring, 4, which serves to crowd the bar N rearward. The opposite end of said bar is connected to one of the arms of a bell-crank lever, 5, which is pivoted to a bracket attached to the forward portion of the body 0. The other arm of the said bell-crank lever is connected with the latch L by a rod, 6. The arrangementof said parts is such as to cause the latch L to be normally in position for holding the hand-lever H when the spring-actuated rod N is at rest.

The hand-lever H is under a constant strain of a spring, 8, which forces the said lever for ward, and when said lever is drawn back by the operator to set the clutch 0 for transmitting motion to the manure-carrying floor and beater B, it requires the hold of the latch L to retain said lever in its position. To the bar N, I connect an arm, 7, which is arranged adjustable in its position, so as to be encountered by the forward-moving rear end of the traveling floor when the front end thereof arrives at the beater B. The collision of the said floor with the arm 7 causes the bar N to be crowded forward, and by means of the bell-crank lever 5 and rod 6 it throws the latch L out of engagement with the hand-lever H, and so soon as this is released it automatically swings forward under the influence of the spring 8, and thereby shifts the clutch 0, so as to stop the motion of the traveling floor and beater.

By means of a hand-crank, 9, connected to the end of the shaft U, the latter can be rotated so as to carry the endless floor back to occupy the bottom of the body 0, to receive another load of manure to be spread.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of the axle, tractionwheels, clutch-connections between said parts, traveling door and its carrying-wheel and shaft, a ratchet-wheel rigidly secured to said shaft, two pawls engaging the ratchet-wheel, a rock-arm, rods connecting said roclrarm with the pawlsand adapted to actuate the same alternately, an eccentric on the aforesaid axle, and a rod connecting said eccentric with the rock-arm, all combined and cooperating substantially in the manner specified and shown.

2. The traveling floor composed of endless chains, slats secured crosswise to said chains and provided with recesses in one of the edges at their top, and plates projecting from the opposite edges of the tops of the slats and countersunk in the recesses of the adjacent slats, substantially as described and shown.

3. In combination with the clutch-shifting arm and hand-lever for operating the same, a spring-coupling between said parts to preliminarily impart to the clutch the necessary pressure to automatically tie the wheel to the shaft when the wheel is set in motion, substantially asset forth.

4. In combination with the axle or driving shaft and sprocket-wheel attached thereto, a standard provided with a slot diverging from the axes of the sprocket-wheel, a stud-pin adjustabl y secured in said slot, a sprocket-wheel pivoted on said stud-pin, and a'driving-chain connecting said sprocket-wheels, substantially as set forth and shown.

5. In combination with the driving-shaft and sprocket-wheel mounted thereon, the standard F, provided with the journal-bearingf, and the segmental slot 9, described from the center of said journal-bearing, the beater B and pinion h, jou'rnaled in said bearing, the stud-pin i, adjustably secured in the slot 9, the gear k and sprocket-wheel Z, pivoted on said stud-pin, and the chain m, connecting said sprocket wheels, substantially as described and shown.

6. The combination, with the axle and tractionwheels mounted loosely thereon, of ratchct-wheels rigid on the axle, pawls on the traction-wheels engaging said ratchet-wheels, a power-transmitting wheel loosely on the axle, clutch-faces respectively on one of the ratchetwheels and power-transmitting wheel, and a clutch sliding on one of said clutch-faces and permanently connected therewith; and adapted to engage and release the other clutch-face, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, with the axle A and traction-wheels XV W, mounted loosely thereon, of the ratchet-wheels P P, rigid on the axle, the pawls T T on the traction-wheels, the sprocket-wheel O, mounted loosely on the axle, the eccentric e and clutch-face a, both rigidly attached to said sprocket-wheel, the clutch-face a on the ratchet-wheel, and the shifting clutch 0, adapted to connect the two clutch-faces n a, substantially as described and shown.

8. In combination with the body or box, the traveling floor, the spring-restrained clutch, shifting lever, and the latch for holding said lever, an arm arranged movably under the forward portion of the body and adapted to be encountered by the rear end of the travelof two attesting witnesses, at Syracuse, in the 7 ing floor during its forward movement, and a county of Onondaga, in the State of New York,

lever and rod for transmitting motion fromv this 10th day of July, 1886.

said arm to the latch, substantially in the HARRY WATKINS. [I.. s] 5 manner described and shown. \Vitnesses:

In testimony whereof Ihave hereunto signed D. H. GOWING, my name and affixed my seal, in the presence FREDERICK H. GIBBS. 

